For the second day in a row, the South China Morning Post has run a story about Beijing's so-called Pamchen Lama, this time with a photo labelling him by that title as well.
For heaven's sake, this guy is no more the Panchen Lama than I am the Archbishop of Canterbury! Like many things that come out of China, he is a well-crafted fake. Any article on him should precede his title with the word "Counterfeit".
However, don't expect the Post to risk its business interests in China by telling the truth, any more than the eunuchs running South Africa who recently barred the Dalai Lama from attending a peace conference there.
P.S. To see how real journalism looks, compare the Post's fawning adulation of the young fake with the BBC's balanced coverage of the same story.
Trying to make sense of a weird world - and maybe make it a little better. If that's not possible, then laugh at it. Those with shorter attention spans may enjoy us on Twitter at Private Pebble.
4 comments:
they know which side their toast is buttered on - the chinese side these days!
Private Beach, I agree with you about China’s interference of Tibet (and of the Post's "buttery" reporting of Tibet). But may I humbly ask what you think is the “best future” for Tibet?
You mentioned the Dalai Lama supports a democratically-elected government, but with the World listening wouldn’t he say that just to win more support and to try to get back in? Just playing the Devil’s advocate.
I don't think it's up to me to decide the best future for Tibet - the whole point is that it should be up to the Tibetan people. Right now, China allows them little say in the matter.
I personally see the Dalai Lama as trustworthy; Beijing obviously doesn't. Either way, if China could be persuaded to agree to a genuinely autonomous Tibet within the PRC, they would hardly accept a system that gave him dictatorial powers - apart from which, he is an old man already and won't live for ever.
"apart from which, he is an old man already and won't live for ever."
The same thought crosses the minds of those countries that are too wet to put enough pressure on others to get rid of Mugabe.
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